Geothermal is safe
Geothermal is safe
If I go outside at night and see the moon, that does not mean the moon causes darkness. If I am ill and live near a geothermal power plant, that does not mean the power plant is causing my illness. On the contrary, more than 20 years of continuous air monitoring near the Puna plant shows that plant emissions rarely exceed background levels.
Geothermal has been providing clean, safe, reliable power for more than 100 years in Italy, Iceland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Tibet, Indonesia, Kenya, Guatemala, Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah, etc.
Many thousands if not millions of people live within close proximity of geothermal plants. If these facilities were presenting serious health issues, it would have been well documented by now.
Geothermal asset money should be used for the benefit of all Hawaii Island residents, not just a few greedy profiteers seeking to sell their property for 130 percent of its value. Mayor Billy Kenoi’s veto of bills 256 and 257 was a good decision, and it should stand.
Rick DuVoisin
Pahoa
Politicians are MIA
Another sleepless night, thanks to the coqui serenade. The bizarre whistling of these tree frogs seems to be getting louder and more frequent.
Why don’t we hear of any solutions from the politicians for eradicating this plague? Perhaps they are waiting until every last insect in Hawaii has been eradicated, upsetting our fragile ecosystem further. Or, maybe they are waiting for the coquis to start falling from the trees, onto the heads of tourists.
That should get the attention of the bureaucrats who could care less about the negative impact of this pestilence.
Patricia Halalilo
Pepeekeo
Real leaders needed
The 1950s was a time of complacency and status quo very often dictated by the very few and powerful. This changed in the sometimes revolutionary ’60s, with open dialogue, new ideas and ways to find solutions.
We now find ourselves socially and politically regressing back in time, returning to one-way, toe-the-line thinking which does not tolerate diversity and people who do not play by the rules.
Politically, the old guard follow-the-leader, stay in line or else, more-of-the-same folks currently have the reins of power and resist change, even if it’s critical to making things better.
Let’s take care in electing candidates to public office who are not stuck in the status quo, are not followers and who recognize that finding solutions to the many complex issues that we face requires an understanding that there are no simple answers. Real leadership and perhaps some courage is needed to help move things forward.
So, when you close the curtain behind you on Aug. 11, please think about this.
Joel Cohen
Waimea